Over the past two decades, YieldWatchDog has transformed from a smart alerting system into one of the most powerful, AI-driven yield management solutions in the semiconductor industry. With every new feature, we had only one goal in mind: giving businesses in the semiconductor industry full control over their data and processes.
It all began with a seemingly simple but powerful feature: Automatic Notifications. Instead of relying on manual data review, YieldWatchDog started by alerting users via email when anomalies appeared: slowly drifting parameters, spatial patterns on wafers, or recurring issues across lots.
From there, development took off. To ensure that all relevant process data was captured and understood, Event Control was introduced. This made YieldWatchDog capable of detecting and notifying users about factory-related events before they become yield-limiting. With the addition of the Reporting Server, users could now automatically generate detailed reports triggered per lot, at regular intervals, or manually as needed. Interactive charting features, providing in-depth, visual analysis through Wafer Maps, Trend Charts, Correlation Charts, and Fail Trends. This was complemented by Equipment Monitoring, giving insight into how probing and test equipment affect the data and product quality.
To support customers in quality-critical industries like automotive, we also introduced the Advanced Quality Module (PAT). This module offers powerful analytics tailored to strict quality standards, including value shift detection, neighborhood rules, and shot and stack analysis.
In 2017 we began integrating AI more deeply into YieldWatchDog leading to YWD-XI, a deep learning framework that uses advanced neural network models for pattern recognition and enables intelligent tool analytics, and multivariate monitoring.
One Platform, One View: Introducing the Defect Module
Now, we’re taking another major step forward with the launch of our Defect Module.
This new module brings defect inspection data into the YieldWatchDog environment – right where all your other production and test data already lives. That means no more isolated defect data and no more switching between systems. Engineers can now correlate inspection results with yield loss, tool performance, and other key metrics, all within a single, unified platform.
The value is clear:
- Quickly identify which tools are responsible for defects
- Understand the downstream impact of those defects
- Take faster, smarter action to resolve the issue
With the Defect Module, YieldWatchDog strengthens its position as a complete yield management solution, helping businesses make data-driven decisions.
What’s Next?
While much has changed in 20 years, our commitment remains the same: to support our customers with solutions that are smart, scalable, and ready for whatever comes next.
